As most of us are having to stay put this New Year’s Eve, I thought I would share a recipe worthy of a celebration. So much has been cancelled this year and if you make a plan, it will most likely be cancelled the next day, or the next hour. BUT, if you plan to make this pie I can pretty much guarantee that it will not be cancelled and you will in fact, be able to eat it when planned. I find that there is enormous comfort in this, plus this is a banging fish pie so it will be worth it. I have tried to model it on my favourite takeaway pie from the Secret Smokehouse. Their pies are out-of-this-world and this isn’t better than theirs but its not far off. I highly recommend grabbing one when you can. You can use whichever fish you like but you have to add some smoked fish, this will give it the best flavour and intensity. Serve with peas and cavolo Nero dressed in olive oil, lemon zest, lemon juice, salt and pepper.

Serves a greedy 6

Ingredients:

For the mash:

2kg potatoes, peeled and chopped in equal halves (Maris Piper are the best)

120g unsalted butter, diced

240ml whole milk

Salt and pepper

For the filling:

820g fish (I used 260g salmon and 260g cod fillets, 80g smoked salmon pieces, 240g smoked haddock fillets) - Keep the skins on where possible.

2 small shallots, finely sliced

1 leek, finely sliced

2 bay leaves

Handful flat leaf parsley, chopped finely

For the white sauce:

1120ml whole milk

70g plain flour

75g unsalted butter, diced

2 pinches of ground cloves

Generous grating of nutmeg

40g grated Grana Padano

I used a baking dish 21cm by 31cm and 6cm deep.

Start with the mash and add the peeled, chopped potatoes to a large saucepan and cover in cold water. Set to a high heat and bring to the boil and then a simmer. These will take around 25-30 minutes depending on the size of them. Drain when soft and cooked through. Then add the butter, milk and season. Use a potato masher to mix and bash everything together until very smooth. Taste to check the seasoning.

While the potatoes are boiling you can start on the filling. Preheat the oven to 200 C degrees fan. In another large saucepan add the chopped leek, onions, bay leaves and milk. Bring this to a gentle simmer for 3 minutes before carefully dropping in the fish fillets and pieces. Gently poach fish for 6 minutes and then carefully drain everything saving the infused milk for the white sauce. When the fish has cooled down, remove the skins and separate fillets into big chunks and lay in the baking dish. Scatter the onions and leek on top and discard the bay leaves.

For the white sauce, clean the saucepan and place back on a medium to high heat. Add the 75g of butter and melt. Then add the flour and use a whisk to stir together and cook for 1 minute. Then remove from the heat and slowly incorporate a little of the infused milk stirring vigorously. Continue until all has been added and then return to a medium heat. Continue to whisk and cook for 7-8 minutes. This will make sure that the flour taste has disappeared from the sauce and the sauce should have thickened a little. Then remove from heat and add in the nutmeg, cloves, grated Grana Padano, salt and pepper. Taste to check the seasoning and then pour and spread this over the fish. Scatter over the chopped parsley and then top with the mash potato. Use the back of a spoon to create swirls and bake in the preheated over for 35-40 minutes.

You can make this the day before and store in the fridge and then bake when needed.

New Year's Eve Fish Pie